Plastic cable support

ABSTRACT

A compressible plastic conduit for receiving a plurality of wires and a plastic belt for compressing the conduit and retaining the wires in a fixed position relative to said conduit.

United States Patent [191 Punako et a1.

[451 July 3,1973

[ PLASTIC CABLE SUPPORT [75] Inventors: Stephen Punako, Bainbridge;George J. Swanson, Sidney, both of NY.

[73] Assigncc: The Bendix Corporation, Southfield,

Mich.

122] Filed: June 25,1971

121] Appl. No.: 156,639

[52] U.S. Cl. 24/73, 248/74 [51] Int. Cl A44b 21/00 [58] Field ofSearch... 16/D1G. 5;

- 248/74 PB, 56, 68 R [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS2,342,958 2/1944 Morehouse 248/74 PB X 2/1959 Hefner 248/74 PB 3,197,8298/1965 Caveney et a1. 248/74 PB 3,300,163 1/1967 Randolph 1 i. 248/563,353,774 11/1967 Thomas 248/68 R FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS1,464,801 1 1/1966 Fruncc .1 24/16 P11 207,18) 6/1959 Germany 248/74 PBPrimary ExumincrPaul R Gilliam Attorney-Raymond .I. Eillcr [57] ABSTRACTA compressible plastic conduit for receiving a plurality of wires and aplastic belt for compressing the conduit and retaining the wires in afixed position relative to said conduit.

3 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PAIENIEB 3.142.559

UN FIG. I

INVENTORS. STEPHEN PUNAKO & J. SWANSON GEO GE AT ORNEY PLASTIC CABLESUPPORT CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION This invention relates to plastic conduits for retaining anelectrical cable and/or a plurality of electrical wires. The inventionis particularly useful when connected to an electrical connector toremove the stresses that would normally be applied to the connection ofthe connector contacts and wires by forces external to the connectoroperating on the wires.

It has been a continuing problem to prevent forces applied to a cablefrom being transmitted to an electrical connector associated therewith.However, most of the devices devised to avoid this problem are costly,complicated, and generally require too many additional components to beadded to the connector to avoid the problem. An example of'one suchdevice to prevent the transmission of the forces applied to a cable tothe connector associated therewith is a metal clamp which is attached tothe housing of the connector by a retaining ring. Such a clamp had to bemachined and required nuts and bolts to compress the clamp into thecable. In many instances, the clamp was tightened too much causing therigid metal clamp to cut into and sometimes through the cable. Certainlythis isundesirable as the electrical signals traveling through the wiresare conducted to the connector body, and, where a high voltage isinvolved, a hazardous condition exists. Therefore, prior art cablesupport devices do not satisfactorily transmit radial and axial forcesaway from the connector contact-wire junction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention provides a compressible sleeveof simple construction, and a plastic belt for compressing the sleeve toa desired size.

characterized by a plurality of mating ridges that interlock whentension is applied in the same direction thereto, thereby causing thebelt to lock in a fixed position.

In one embodiment of the invention, the plastic cable support comprises:a frusto-conical conduit having a cylindrical portion at both endsthereof and a plurality of axial slots that extend from the smalleropening toward the larger opening, the slots permitting the compressingof the cylindrical portion at the smaller end of the conduit whereby thesize of the smaller opening may be reduced; and a belt having aplurality of ridges extending along one surface of the belt, a largercrosssectional area at one end portion of the belt than the remainingend portion, and a buckle disposed at one end thereof, the buckle havingan opening therein larger in size than twice the cross-sectional area ofthe smaller remaining end portion of the belt but smaller in size thanthe combined cross-sectional area of the larger end and the remainingend portion so that both end portions of the belt may not pass throughsaid buckle together whereby when both of the end portions of the beltare drawn into the buckle together, the teeth in both of the endportions engage each other and force the belt into pressurized contactwith the inside of the buckle thereby preventing further movement of theend portions of the belt into the buckle.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an inexpensivesupport for retaining an electrical cable or a plurality of electricalwires.

Another object of this invention is to provide an inexpensive device tobe used in combination with an electrical connector to support the wiresconnected to the connector a predetermined distance away from .theconnector.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a nonmetalliccable support.

It is another object of this invention to provide a cable support devicethat does not require the necessity of tools to attach the device to anelectrical cable.

The above and other objects and features of the invention will becomeapparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawings and claims which form a part of thisspecification.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS- FIGS. 1 through 4 are illustrationsof preferred embodiments of the cable support.

FIG. 5 is a plastic belt which is used totie down the cable support in afixed position around the wires pass ing through the support.

FIG. 6 illustrates the cable support shown in FIG. 2 attached to andsupporting an electrical cable.

FIG. 7 illustrates the cable support shown in FIG. 3, which is comprisedof a deformable material, attached to a plurality of electricalconductors.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings,FIG. 1 illustrates a plastic conduit 10 having a configuration thatembodies the principles of this invention. The conduit has a taperedportion 5 and cylindrical portions 1, 7 at each end of the conduit 10.Generally, the tapered portion 5 is frusto-conical in shape so that oneend of the conduit has a large opening which is connected to a connectorand the other end has a smaller opening which provides for the passageof wires to the connector. The larger cylindrical portion 1 of theconduit 10 includes a shoulder 2 which, in conjunction with a retainingring (not shown), cooperates to fasten the conduit 10 to a connector. Atthe smaller cylindrical portion 7 of the conduit 10 there is a secondshoulder 9 which, in conjunction with the tapered portion 5, operates toprevent the fastening means (FIG. 5) from moving axially beyond thecylindrical portion 7. The conduit 10 includes a slot 11 which extendsfrom the opening in the smaller cylindrical portion 7 towards theopposite end I. When the conduit 10 is fabricated completely from arigid material, such as plastic, which cannot be compressed, the axialslot 11 allows the smaller opening in the conduit to be reduced when apressure is applied to the cylindrical portion 7 of the conduit. Sincethe conduit 10 is comprised of a rigid material, it cannot be bent, and,hence, the wires in the conduit cannot be bent.

FIG. 2 is an elongated version of the conduit shown in FIG. 1. In thisembodiment, the tapered portion 5 has a more gradual slope and extendsfurther. In this embodiment, the entire conduit 10 is also comprised ofrigid material, such as plastic, which is not compressible, therefore,it is necessary to have slot 11 in the conduit so that when pressure isapplied to the cylindrical portion 7 the opening at the smaller end ofthe conduit is reduced.

FIG. 3 illustrates an alternate embodiment which is a conduit 10 thatmay be divided into two functional portions. A rigid (e.g., plastic)cylindrical portion 1 having a shoulder 2 and an extension 12 and acompressible portion 4 which may be comprised of a resilient ordeformable material that may be repeatedly compressed. The resilientmaterial 4 has an inner diameter about the same as the diameter of theextension 12 so that the compressible material 4 may be permanentlysecured to the extension 12 of the rigid portion 1 of the conduit 10. Noaxial slots are necessary in this embodiment in view of the fact thatthe end portion is comprised of a compressible material, as opposed tothe previous embodiments where the amterial was not compressible but theconduit in general was because of the axial slots.

FIG. 4 illustrates a conduit that is generally frusto- .conical in shapeand does not have any axial slots.

When fabricated entirely from plastic this type of support would bedesigned so that the opening at the smaller end of the frustoconicalconduit would be a specific size to receive a predetermined number ofwires going to a connector. Although this type of conduit preventsradial forces from being transmitted to the connector, it does not domuch to reduce any axial forces that would be applied to wires passingthrough the conduit from reaching the contacts in the connector.Therefore, in applications where axial forces applied to the wires isnot a factor, this type of conduit, since it requires one less operationto fabricate (no slot), would be most suitable as it is less expensiveand would do the job. As an alternate embodiment the smaller end portion7 could be comprised of a resilient material, or the end portion 7 andtapered portion could be comprised of a resilient material so that theconduit could be radially compressed against a plurality of wirespassing therethrough.

FIG. 5 is one preferred device for compressing the conduit whichincorporates the principles of this inven-- tion. This particular meansfor compressing the conduit 10 is a belt of plastic 50 that has aplurality of directional ridges or teeth 51 along one surface thereof, afriction buckle 52, and an enlarged end portion 53. The opening in thebuckle 52 is larger in size than twice the cross-sectional area of thesmaller remaining end portion of the belt butsmaller in size than thecombined cross-sectional area of the larger end portion 53 and thesmaller end portion so that both portions of the belt may not passthrough the buckle together whereby when both of the end portions of thebelt are drawn into said buckle together, the teeth 51 in both of theend portions engage each other and force the belt into pressurizedcontact with the inside of the buckle thereby preventing furthermovement of the end portions of the belt into said buckle. When the beltis tightened around the conduit 10, the teeth 51 engage the teeth in theend portion 53 so that the belt cannot move in a direction that willenlarge the loop A. This results from the end portion 53 being drawninto the friction buckle 52 so that the teeth of the end portion 53engage the teeth in another portion of the belt to stop the movement ofthe belt in a direction that would enlarge the loop A. Removing theexpansion force from the loop A allows the end portion 53 to moveoutside of the friction buckle 52 and therefore allow the belt to movein either direction as the teeth 51 are no longer engaged.

FIG. 6 illustrates the functional advantages of the plastic conduit andhow it is used to retain a plurality of electrical wires. The conduit 10being comprised of a rigid material, protects the wires 40 within theconduit from being subjected to radial and axial forces. When thecylindrical end portion 7 of the conduit is compressed by some means,such as the tie down strap 50, the wires 40 extending through theconduit are retained in fixed positions.

FIG. 7 illustrates how the compressible portion 4 of a conduit 10 iscompressed by the belt 50 to retain the wires 40 in fixed positions.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been disclosed, itwill be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes may be made tothe invention as set forth in the appended claims, and, in some cases,certain features of the invention may be used to advantage withoutcorresponding use of other features. For example, the general shape ofthe conduit shown has been cylindrical, however, the conduit may takemany physical configurations, e.g., rectangular, octagonal, etc. whilethe objects of this invention may still be obtained. Accordingly, it isintended that the illustrative and descriptive materials herein be usedto illustrate the principles of the invention and not to limit the scopethereof.

Having described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. In combination with an electrical connector of the type that receivesseveral electrical wires at one end of the connectorand includes meansattached to said one end of said connector for supporting said wires atsaid one end of said connector, the improvement wherein said supportmeans comprises:

a frusto-conical conduit having a larger cylindrical conduit portion atone end and a smaller cylindrical conduit portion at the other end and aplurality of axial slots that extend from the opening in said smallercylindrical conduit portion and into said frusto-conical portion, saidlarger cylindrical portion mounted on said one end of said connectorwith said several wires extending through said conduit, said slotspermitting the compressing of said smaller cylindrical conduit portionaround said wires'whereby the size of said smaller opening may bereduced and said wires retained therein, said larger cylindrical conduitportion at said larger end of said fr'usto-conical conduit including ashoulder on the larger portion of said conduit and said smallercylindrical conduit portion terminating in a shoulder on the outsidethereof.

2. In combination with an electrical connector of the type that receivesseveral electrical wires at one end of the connector and includes meansattached to said one end of said connector for supporting said wires atsaid one end of said connector, the improvement wherein said supportmeans comprises:

a continuous sleeve having alternating portions of varyingcompressibility for receiving and retaining several electrical wires,said sleeve having one end portion more flexible than the other endportion,

said sleeve having a passage sized to receive several electrical wires;and

means for compressing said one end portion whereby said electrical wiresextending through said conduit are retained in fixed position.

3. In combination with an electrical connector of the type that receivesseveral electrical wires at one end of the connector and includes meansattached to said one end of said connector for supporting said wires atsaid one end of said connector, the improvement wherein said supportmeans comprises:

a sleeve for receiving and retaining several electrical wires, saidsleeve comprising:

an axially rigid conduit having a first end portion including a shoulderon the outside thereof and a tapered portion tapering away from saidfirst end means for compressing said tapered portion of said conduit sothat said electrical wires extending through said conduit are retainedin fixed positions;

said compressing means located between said shoulder on said second endportion and said tapered end portion.

Disclaimer 3,742,559.Stephen Punalco, Bainbridge, and George J Swanson,Sidney, N.Y. PLASTIC CABLE SUPPORT. Patent dated July 8,1973. Disclaimerfiled July 30, 197 3, by the assignee, The B emiz'w Gowpomtz'on.

Hereby disclaims the term of the patent subsequent to Mar. 13, 1990.

[Ofiiaial Gazette July 8, 1975.]

1. In combination with an electrical connector of the type that receivesseveral electrical wires at one end of the connector and includes meansattached to said one end of said connector for supporting said wires atsaid one end of said connector, the improvement wherein said supportmeans comprises: a frusto-conical conduit having a larger cylindricalconduit portion at one end and a smaller cylindrical conduit portion atthe other end and a plurality of axial slots that extend from theopening in said smaller cylindrical conduit portion and into saidfrusto-conical portion, said larger cylindrical portion mounted on saidone end of said connector with said several wires extending through saidconduit, said slots permitting the compressing of said smallercylindrical conduit portion around said wires whereby the size of saidsmaller opening may be reduced and said wires retained therein, saidlarger cylindrical conduit portion at said larger end of saidfrusto-conical conduit including a shoulder on the larger portion ofsaid conduit and said smaller cylindrical conduit portion terminating ina shoulder on the outside thereof.
 2. In combination with an electricalconnector of the type that receives several electrical wires at one endof the connector and includes means attached to said one end of saidconnector for supporting said wires at said one end of said connector,the improvement wherein said support means comprises: a continuoussleeve having alternating portions of varying compressibility forreceiving and retaining several electrical wires, said sleeve having oneend portion more flexible than the other end portion, said sleeve havinga passage sized to receive several electrical wires; and means forcompressing said one end portion whereby said electrical wires extendingthrough said conduit are retained in fixed position.
 3. In combinationwith an electrical connector of the type that receives severalelectrical wires at one end of the connector and includes means attachedto said one end of said connector for supporting said wires at said oneend of said connector, the improvement wherein said support meanscomprises: a sleeve for receiving and retaining several electricalwires, said sleeve comprising: an axially rigid conduit having a firstend portion including a shoulder on the outside thereof and a taperedportion tapering away from said first end portion and terminating at asecond end portion having an opening smaller than the opening in saidfirst end portion, said second end portion and said tapered portionhaving at least one axial slot therein extending from the smalleropening in said second end portion so that said tapered portion isradially compressible, said second end portion including a shoulder onthe outside end thereof; and means for compressing said tapered portionof said conduit so that said electrical wires extending through saidconduit are retained in fixed positions, said compressing means locatedbetween said shoulder on said second end portion and said tapered endportion.